Letters
by JL01
Summary: After weeks of traveling in the Hoenn region, Ash finally decides to sit himself down and write Misty a letter. But what will come of it?
1. Chapter 1

**Story Summary: **After weeks of traveling in the Hoenn region, Ash finally decides to sit himself down and write Misty a letter. But what will come of it?

**A/N: **Please be aware that I can't follow the anime storyline episode-by-episode, and will mainly just refer to episode summaries in Serebii and Bulbapedia. Referring to individual episodes will be far too time-consuming.

This fic begins during Ash's journey through the Hoenn region, and carries on from there.

* * *

><p><strong>Letters<strong>

14 April 2005

Dear Misty,

How are ya? It seems like years have gone by since the last time we saw each other, although in truth it's only been a few weeks. How's the Cerulean gym going? Is everything ok without your sisters?

You must be real surprised to even see a letter from me. Even I'm surprised that I'm writing this, because I'd usually be busy training my Pokémon. I guess I must be feeling homesick and need to keep in touch with what's happening in Kanto, even though I'm used to traveling now.

Brock's traveling with me again, which gives me a bit of relief. I don't know where I'd be without his cooking: just a few days without it makes you go insane! He doesn't know that I'm writing this to you, because, well…I honestly haven't told him yet. I don't really wanna, because…well, I have my own reasons.

We've met and made friends with two new companions soon after coming to Hoenn. Their names are May and Max. It's funny how I ran into May. If you wanna know the truth, it's basically the same way that I met you in the first place. But lucky for me, she doesn't have your temper!

May is our age, and Max is eight, so he's not ready to be a trainer in his own right yet. But _believe me _when I say that he knows a _lot _about Pokémon. He could probably become a better Pokémon expert than Professor Oak, in a few years' time!

I've become kind of a mentor/teacher figure to May in the past few weeks. Her Hoenn starter Pokémon is Torchic, the fire type. It was really quite timid at first, but it's growing used to battling every day. Teaching someone else about battling is something which is really new to me, but I'm growing in to it, I guess. May has a lot of potential, though: she might be shy and all, but I can't help but feel that her skills are gonna grow quickly.

This goes without saying, but Team Rocket is following us _again_. I honestly don't think they'll quit anytime soon. Oh yeah, it's just come to me now, Misty, but do you really wanna hear about all the things that happen with Team Rocket? Or should I just leave it out?

Well, it's getting late, and Pikachu's dozed off already. Tomorrow's going to be a big day, and I need some rest. I'll be sure to post this the next time I'm at a Pokémon Center. I'll soon be arriving at Mauville City, where I'm going to battle against Wattson for the Dynamo Badge, the third of the eight badged of Hoenn.

Miss you, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Ash

* * *

><p>19 April 2005,<p>

Dear Ash,

It's so good to hear from you again! I thought for sure that you'd be too super-focused on battles and other Pokémon-related stuff to contact me, but it turns out that I was wrong. It seems that you _do _care about me, after all! As a friend, of course.

The gym's fine, although the first few days were really rough for me. You remember those "Invincible Pokémon Brothers" thugs who attacked us? Well, they showed up again a few days after I got back to the gym and was trying to get things – or, rather my Gyarados – under control. The poor thing was so stressed after evolving from a Magikarp, that he had to be put in a cage to stop him from destroying the gym equipment and hurting the other Pokémon.

I don't really want to go into details about what happened during that time, because I don't want to worry you before your big battle for your next badge. Rest assured, I'm fine now, with everything under control, and I dealt with those thugs with the help of Gyarados who I managed to tame. The Nurse Joy who helped me that day was really a Pokémon Inspection Agent. She said she was leaving for the Hoenn region, so I naturally asked her to tell you that I'm doing fine over here by myself. Make sure to greet her if you see her around!

Hehe, old Brock's back with you again, I see. That's good – you'll _need _the food, trust me. I could never stand the sound of your stomach when it growls. That sound is super effective against _any _Pokémon type! There were honestly some times in our travels together, when I was tempted to shout out, "Ash's stomach, use roar!"

And for _what_ reasons didn't you tell Brock that you were writing to me, might I ask? Could it be that you're missing me already, hmm?

It's great that you've made new friends in Hoenn. I'm sure that all four of you will be a great help to one another, especially Max. You really need someone with brains by your side, Ash! Just make sure to repay May for her broken bike; remember, Nurse Joy may have fixed my bike for me, but that doesn't mean that you haven't repaid what you owe to me, Ash Ketchum!

Oh…Team Rocket. I can't believe it. On second thoughts, I actually do. Just fire away about them whenever you want – it's always a good laugh to hear about them failing all the time!

I hope that everything goes well for you in Hoenn, and that May will quickly learn to become a great trainer. As much as I want to wish you luck for your gym battle, I can already feel what the result was. Just remember that I'll always be rooting for you! : )

By the way, Ash, are you writing to your mom, as well? I'm sure she'd be really interested in whether you're changing your you-know-whats everyday!

Make sure to keep a close check on Brock's behavior, and give Pikachu a kiss on the cheek for me!

Love,

Misty

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** This fic was partly inspired by Napoleon Bonaparte's love letters to his first wife and empress, Josephine de Beauharnais, although I'll try my best to keep both Ash and Misty in character and not overdramatize to that level. You can google 'Napoleon Bonaparte's letters to Josephine' and read the wikisource link, if you want to know what I mean.

However, Ash and Misty will most probably be out-of-character at times, as I'm very used to the writing style of my Chosen One series, where the characters are all of mature age.

I've decided to take a brief break for a few weeks from Book IV of my Chosen One series, because it's been really taxing on me, and I've been really wanting to try something new and refreshing to rejuvenate me in my writing. Rest assured, the next chapter in Book IV is coming along, but I've only got about 3000 words right now because I'm studying for my final uni exam for this year. Accounting's a bit of an asshole in terms of memorization demands -_- .

I'll be working more on this fic, and I'm also looking to start a new fic on either Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, or Star Wars: KOTOR, two planned fics which I have great plans for. I'll make sure to work on Book IV when I have the time to write more on it.

Please leave your opinions and thoughts for this new story : ) .


	2. Chapter 2

23 April 2005

Dear Misty,

Of _course _I still think about you! To be honest, I kept your handkerchief with me till now, and I never let go of it. I like to keep things that remind me of good old times, I guess.

It's great to hear that you've got everything under control over there. Brock and I actually worried about you and wondered how you're going, sometimes. Hopefully your sisters will come back from their world tour soon, and then you can come back to travel with us again. By the way, how long are they gone for? And don't worry – I'll make sure to be on the lookout for the Nurse Joy you mentioned! I'll definitely thank her for taking care of you and stuff.

Oh _please_, Mist, don't ever mention food to me! Now you've got my stomach going! Haha. But _wow_, has Brock's list of recipes expanded. He's cooked stuff in the past few days that I'd never even seen in my life, and the taste was absolutely incredible. But don't you think you're just going a _little bit _overboard with what you're saying about my stomach? Oh, well – at least it's nowhere close to being as loud as you when you're angry. You should really search up a Pokémon called 'Exploud', if you're curious about it. Just kidding! Please don't kill me with your mallet when I come back from this region! ^^

Erm, Misty, of _course _I miss you. You're my best friend, after all. I just didn't wanna tell Brock that I'm writing these letters to you at the time, because I knew he'd make a big deal out if it, and that it would probably carry on to both May and Max. May's the type to go on for _hours _about romance, so I didn't really wanna get her started. But too late for that – Brock caught sight of me writing this to you after I finished the second paragraph, and now May's squealing by herself somewhere else in the Pokémon Center. Funny thing is, that Brock saw me writing this after Max pulled him away from Nurse Joy and towards me, because both of them were curious about 'how my behavior's been changing these last few days' and stuff.

It's kinda obvious from what I've just said anyway, but I'd like you to know that your role of keeping Brock in line when he sees some girls has been taken over by Max. But at least he leaves the bones in Brock's ears intact!

Misty, I'm not exactly the richest person in the world, y'know. Paying back the price of _one _bike is enough trouble, but _two_? Gimme a break, will ya?

But in any case, May's coming along just fine these days. She's got some more confidence now, but she's still got some work to do in keeping a clear head during battle, as well as decision-making.

We actually ran into those Team Rocket goons a few hours ago. They were dressed up as clowns, make-up and everything. They were actually really good disguises as well; had us completely fooled! But it was no problem. Same old, same old. : )

Thanks for all your best wishes, Misty! I've been thinking about writing a letter to mom, but…I thought that if I did, then she'd maybe ask if I'm also writing letters to _you_. That would've been embarrassing, to say the least. And don't mention those things! I'm already humiliated enough as it is! Hehe.

I really should go now. May keeps on trying to peep over my shoulder even though I know she's behind me. She's done it twice, and I can somehow sense her attempting a third.

See ya later, Misty, and Pikachu says hi!

From Ash.

* * *

><p>28 April 2005<p>

Dear Ash,

Are you serious? You…you actually _kept _it? Sorry. My handwriting's going squiggly all of a sudden after I read that line. I'm just so happy!

But I'm afraid I have some disappointing news: my sisters are gonna be gone for a whole year. After all, it's a 'world tour', not a regional one which would take just a matter of weeks to complete. So here I am, all by my lonesome, with pretty much nothing to do but to sit and wait for trainers as they come along…or rescue Psyduck from the pool. Yeah, I haven't taught him how to swim, yet. It's getting kinda depressing. Tracey occasionally drops by every now and then, though, and helps me with stuff around the gym. Oh, and guess what? Your mom called by earlier yesterday, and said she'd visit me in a few days' time! It sure would be great to see her again.

For your information, mister, due to my boredom, I've just searched up 'Exploud' on the computer, and there came up a picture showing it in all its big-mouthed glory. Don't worry, Ash Ketchum. I won't be prepared to strike you with my mallet. There'll be something _big and nasty _waiting for you, instead! Hehehe…just kidding, Ash. ^^

You should actually feel grateful to yourself and to me for these letters, if your behavior's been changing! Finally you're actually set on the road to actually growing up to become a man! I hope. Haha. But do tell Max to make sure to leave some bones intact for me! :D

Oh for the love of _Mew_, Ash, you're still so ever dense! If you really wanna know how I feel about my bike, then just go and ask Brock for his opinion! I think you'll find yourself to be pleasantly surprised. ;)

Wow, it seems like you're having a blast up there. Get it? Blast? Hehe…ok, I admit that was a kinda bad joke on my part. Give May a shot at sending those numskulls packing, next time! I'm sure she'd be able to handle it on her own!

Speaking of your mother…I think I'll actually show her the letters you wrote to me! I can't wait to see the look on her face when she finds out that her own son has been sending letters to his friend, but not to his own mother! :P

Wow. Could that be some sort of psychic power coming from you? From _you_, of all people, Ash Ketchum? I'd better tell this from Sabrina, next time she zaps in with Haunter. She's been a real help to me the last few weeks after I came back to the gym. She says she wants to repay us for what we did for her that day.

Gotta go now. You-know-who has fallen into the pool by accident again.

Miss you, and I miss Pikachu even more. ; )

Misty.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I've been kind of overextending myself in terms of the number of new fics I've released, including this one and my KOTOR former oneshot story which I've now expanded. I'll try to fit in the time for this one when I have some, as well as work on the next chapter of Book IV of my Chosen One series.


	3. Chapter 3

2 May 2005

Dear Misty,

Of course I am! Why would I just throw away or leave behind something like that? After all, it reminds me both of you and of home. :)

That's too bad that you can't join us…I really wished that you could come over here sometime. Hoenn is an incredible and beautiful place to be, and there are some real cool water Pokémon here as well. Hope things aren't too tough on you at the gym, and that Psyduck eventually gets the hang of it.

It's good to hear that Tracey's helping you out. Nobody wants to be lonely now, do they? ^^ . Just…make sure not to embarrass me when you talk to my mom, ok? Pretty please? Heheh.

Wow, that _really _makes me wanna come back home to Kanto and see you standing in front of me with your mallet behind your back. Not! ;) But I _am _looking forward to coming home eventually and seeing you again, though.

Haha, what makes you say that? Are you saying that I can't grow up by myself? Don't worry – Max is taking care to leave some of poor Brock's bones for you to shatter, although his ears are constantly red nowadays ;) .

I asked him about the bike like you said, but all I got from him was uncontrollable chuckling and nothing more than "You'll understand some day, Ash!". Did the two of you by any chance talk behind my back and come up with some scheme or something? It's driving me nuts!

As a matter of fact, May's sent those guys blasting away with her Torchic the other day. I'm really happy that they're growing so fast in confidence. Maybe I should keep back and let May deal with those goons from now on? She certainly seems able to do it :) .

Please. Please, for the love of _Mew_, don't show her our letters! She'll kill me if she saw them! Oh, what am I blabbering about – she's probably already been to your place before I even got your last letter. Now it's only a matter of time until I get a letter from her, or I get the same message when I go back home. Geez, thanks, Mist! -_-

That's so great that you have a friend like Sabrina who you can talk to and receive help from. Tell her I said hi from Hoenn, and tell Haunter to stay out of trouble!

We're on our way to Lavaridge Town for my next gym battle, and we'll probably arrive there in a day or so. It's reminded me that I really should leave the map-reading and navigation stuff with Brock.

Miss you too, Mist!

From Ash.

* * *

><p>7 May 2005<p>

Dear Ash,

It sounds like you're having a wonderful time in Hoenn, and I'm really happy for you : ) . Don't worry about me – I'm in really good hands, with your mom, Tracey and Sabrina always being there to offer me support when I need their help. Send me a picture of some of the water Pokémon when you can – I really wanna see a Milotic! Reckon you're up to the task of finding, let alone catching one? :P

Tracey's doing everything he can to help me get Psyduck to overcome his fear of water. Are we successful? Hell no. Though I really hope we break through some day…

Don't worry, Ash – I'll have a _special _brand-new mallet, pre-ordered and generously oversized, waiting for you when you come back here!

May's a fast learner, isn't she? Then again, those three aren't as much trouble as they like to make themselves seem. But don't slack off yourself, Ash Ketchum – it's _impossible _to motivate you to do anything but eat and sleep if you develop that kind of attitude!

And now, for the part you've been sweating and waiting for – my day with your mom! Well, you'll be glad to know just how much I talked to her about your letters: nothing! I know how you feel, Ash, so don't worry. I understand that you don't want to be embarrassed or feel guilty due to our letters.

The day she came over, I felt quite nervous at first. I didn't know anything about what to talk about; whether I should talk with her about you as much as I would've liked, if I should tell her about what's been going on with the gym, or other stuff. But when we started talking, everything just…flowed. She's helped me overcome so many difficulties I've had my mind on, as if they weren't any trouble at all. I never thought I could feel a warm hug around me again since my mom passed away, but it wasn't true. I felt as if she was a part of my family and a parent to me my whole life, and I didn't even know it. Your mom is everything I've been missing ever since my parents died, and I feel so grateful to her and happy to have someone in my life again who I can look up to as a mom.

Also, she's helped me in learning how to cook. That's right, mister – cook! So don't cringe and back away from my cooking next time!

I'll make sure to pass on your message to Sabrina and Haunter. Haunter might just even zap in where you are in Hoenn and give you a big lick across the face. How I'd _love _to see that, haha.

I know you've probably earned the badge already, so I'll just say good luck for your next gym challenge! I'll be rooting for you always. But make sure to improve your map reading – Brock's not gonna be there to babysit you forever!

For your information, I don't like that little nickname you've given me, mister! :( . Heheh, don't worry, it's fine. I'll just have to call you Ashy-boy from now on, won't I? ;)

Love,

Misty.


	4. Chapter 4

13 May 2005

Dear Mist,

Yup, Hoenn's pretty great so far. The people are all very wonderful, and there's so many breathtaking sights here – especially for Brock, if you know what I mean ; ) .

Good to hear that you're being well looked-after. I often wonder whether you're doing ok, and Pikachu and Brock do, too. But _really_, Mist – a Milotic? Can't you lower the standard bar just a _little _for me? Pretty please? Haha.

Well, there's not much that can be done for Psyduck besides exposing him to water as often as possible, I guess. He'll get used to it that way, hopefully. Not keen on seeing your new mallet, though! :P

Yup, May learns scary-fast for sure. I'm even beginning to think that she could take _you _on! With her _Torchic_! Haha!

It makes me really happy to hear that about you and my mom. _Both _things, actually – I'm not sure whether the fact that she's looking after you or that you didn't show her our letters makes me more relieved. But you can have a guess at that yourself ;) .

Must still be lonely, though, being all by yourself except for some occasions when Mom, Tracey or Sabrina drop by. I'll try to finish what I have to do here double-time, Mist, so I can get back to Kanto as soon as possible. Looking forward to the unburnt food ^^ .

Geesh, Mist, way to give a guy insomnia at night. I can't close my eyes without thinking that Haunter's going to appear out of nowhere at any second!

Done and done, Mist; I've got the badge and my map-reading skills are as good as ever! …Ok, they're _not_ – I admit. -_-

We're actually going _backwards_ right now – all the way to Petalburg; the way we came from, can you believe? And you wouldn't ever guess who the Gym leader is: Norman, May and Max's _dad_!

Love,

Ash

* * *

><p>18 May 2005<p>

Dear Ashy-boy/loser,

I'm afraid for you. Really. Hanging out with that pervert has obviously had its effect. Tell Brock that I'm keeping tabs on him! :( . And what's with that again? 'Mist'? Are you staying up too late again, mister, or are you purposely trying to irritate me? No matter – I'm returning the favor now! :P

And for your information, _no_. The standard bar can _not _be lowered, Ash. How else did you think you're going to achieve your dreams of becoming a Master? It's not exactly a sleeping and eating contest, you know!

Wow. Talk about potentially vital advice from none other than the king of boneheads himself! To be honest, I don't really like exposing Psyduck to the pool all that often, as he's always traumatized by the end. I'll have to have an arm around him to hold him up along with his flotation aid from next time onwards.

Oh, you're going to have the _time of your life _when you get back here, mister! May's Torchic may very well manage to beat me if it's as strong as you make it sound, but you have absolutely _no defenses _against my mallet! :D

Trying to zip past everything so you can get back over here to see me, eh? Looks like someone's been missing the sensation of bruises on his head all too much. ;)

But really, Ash, I appreciate the fact that you care about me that much and I find it to be so sweet of you, but you don't need to rush yourself so much just so you can come back a day sooner. Just look after yourself, you hear me? I don't exactly want to hear about you being assaulted by a group of Ursaring like we were last time : ) .

Heheh, don't worry – I've told Haunter to not give you any real frights over there. And Ha! I _told _you you were helpless without me or Brock! You couldn't find your way with a compass, a map, and ten flying Pokémon as your scouts!

Best of luck for your battle with Norman, Ash! Don't get absolutely destroyed! :P

Love,

Mist…y ;)


	5. Chapter 5

22 May 2005

Dear scrawny girl :P

I'm actually taking on your advice about Brock. Maybe he doesn't know it yet, but May, Max and I can tell whenever he's ogling some girl or older woman on the streets – actually, pretty much everywhere we go. I really think that it's only going to be a matter of time before he gets himself into something too deep to handle. Are you _sure _you can't drop by sometime to set things straight with him? ;)

Geez, Mist, give me a break, will ya? I'm doing my best out here (by the way, I won the badge from May and Max's dad! Go me! :D), but I really think that asking me to catch a Milotic for you is going a bit too far. What was that saying again? 'You need to take a step before you fall'?

I hope you get used to holding on to Psyduck – you're going to be desperate for a hug to comfort you after I come back and thrash you at your own gym! Not even your mallet can save you now! :P

But you're right about me having to slow things down, Mist. I was just so focused on getting through the Hoenn League so that I could come back as fast as I could and see you and Mom again, but I realize that I should take things one at a time now. I almost forgot that quickening things up meant that I have less time left to spend here with May and Max, whom Brock and I have grown close to over the past few months. May still has a lot to learn, and I want to help her become the best trainer and co-ordinator she can, before I leave Hoenn to come back home.

You'll be glad to hear that we haven't had any incidents like that day with the Ursaring, over here ;) …well, at least not as _frequently _as those kind of things happened before, anyway… :S

Talking about incidents, there's a guy called Drew who we've bumped into a couple of times. Sorry that I didn't mention him before. He's a co-ordinator and a pretty good trainer, but a slightly weird guy, if you ask me: always carrying roses around. Doesn't he get sick of the smell? And he always gives a rose or two to May when we see him. Says it's for her Beautifly. I don't get it - why doesn't he just give her some Pokeblocks or Pokemon treats in that case? What good can a rose do for a Pokemon? I don't think I'll ever understand... :S

We're on our way to Fortree City right now for my next gym battle. Can you believe that we have to go _all the way _back to Mauville, which is where we originally came from? Hoenn is a really strange place in terms of the gyms' locations. Everything confuses me so much! Thank Mew for Brock and his map, though.

Have to go now, Mist. May's been shuffling around in her sleeping bag and whining about my night lamp for a while. I'll post this to you as soon as I can.

Miss you,

Ash.

* * *

><p>28 May 2005<p>

Dear Ash (Yes, I've stopped the name-calling! I'm not as immature as you, mister! :P )

I'm actually _really _missing you and Brock right now. Seeing him try to flirt with every Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy he sees is irritating enough – to have guy trainers come to your gym every day, sometimes just for a _date _than a battle is really quite worse. Why can't those guys simply take the message that I'm not looking for anyone else right now? Urgh! . I'm sure you can handle things on your own, though – I don't need to babysit you again, do I? :P

That's so great that you've won the Petalburg Gym badge. As always, I'm very happy for you . But still, you're an _idiot_, Ash Ketchum. That is quite possibly the dumbest 'saying' I've ever heard in my life, and I wouldn't be surprised if nobody said that at all! Heheh, just kidding, Ash, don't push yourself too hard ;) .

The only one who's going to do any hugging is _you, _Ash Ketchum – either hugging Pikachu while crying after your loss (and remember, he _won't ever _fight against me! :D), or hugging your knees and crying, all the same!

It's ok, Ash. You can take all the time you need in Hoenn, and don't just chase after badges all the time. You also have to appreciate the region itself, by going out to see everything it has to offer you, not just as a trainer, but as a person. Go out of your own way to take Brock, May and Max to places you think they'll enjoy and love – I'm sure they'll thank you for it later on. And after all…it's a part of growing up. ;)

You. Are. Hopeless, mister. No words. I'd make an attempt to explain this _'Drew''s_ actions, but you'll never understand. Not in a million years, knowing your brain :P . And stop whining and whingeing about having to travel to and fro! What did you expect – a taxi service?

Sabrina dropped by again the other day, which was nice of her. She drives me nuts, though; she can see right through a person, even when they try to make their own minds blank so that she can't read their thoughts. I may have been able to hide our letters from your mom, but I couldn't do anything about Sabrina. It's a good thing she agreed and promised to me that she'll keep it a secret, just between the three of us. It's kinda annoying, though; Sabrina _also _thinks that…how should I say this…'something is going on'. Bah! _Look who I'm talking to!_ Oh well, I hope you're not so dense that you can't figure it out for yourself. And don't get help from Brock! No cheating! ;)

Thinking of and rooting for you always. :)

Mist


	6. Chapter 6

2 April 2005

Dear Mist (For your information, I was carrying on like that because I assumed you'd keep on being immature like you usually are! :P )

I really don't know – personally, I'd rather be in your shoes than to have to see Max drag Brock away from a girl virtually once every three hours. Maybe you should superglue a piece of paper on your forehead saying "I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A DATE!"? Haha.

And the joke about the babysitting thing is _way _out of line, Mist. That wouldn't be another reference to my mom constantly telling me about my you-know-whats, would it? :(

Thanks for always rooting for me, Mist. It helps me a lot while I'm battling. But hey, don't yell at me about my quote. Maybe I'm just an awesome philosopher and you're too dense to admit it! ;)

Don't you worry about that – I'll make sure to bring along another Pokémon to take Pikachu's place! How does Bulbasaur and Chikorita sound? :D

Well, I took on your advice and told the group that we should spend a day sightseeing and just enjoying ourselves. We spent last night camped alongside the bank of some lake…I think it was called 'Midnight Lake' or something. Something to do with the time of day was in its name, but I forgot. Too preoccupied with the thought of more training!

May virtually almost choked me to death with a hug after we came across the lake when the full moon was up and reflected against it. Said it was the nicest thing she'd ever seen in her life, after the roses that she got from Drew. I wonder if she likes him?

…I'm starting to feel real nervous. About Sabrina, I mean. What if she somehow leaks our letters to some other people? To _mom_? And what do you mean by 'something going on'? Is there trouble at the Saffron Gym?

We're still on the way to Fortree City, and I'm writing this from inside the Mauville Pokémon Center. The road will long, and there's a countless amount of bushland and forests to get through. Hopefully I'll be able to reach the city by the time I write to you next.

Miss you always : )

Ash

* * *

><p>9 April 2005<p>

Hey Ashy : ) (I actually thought of that just by considering the fact that you've been constantly dropping the 'y' in my name in your last few letters. That 'y' has to go _somewhere_, right? ;) )

If you really think that I'd be stupid enough to take on that kind of 'advice', then you clearly need another good shocking session with Pikachu to wake yourself up! What kind of idiot would superglue _any _message to their forehead? Well, besides _you,_ of course. I can just imagine how content you would be with a sign on your head that constantly reads 'Feed me'. Truthfully, though, I'm getting kinda fed up…The number of serenades I've been getting has been on the rise – _five_ since I got your most recent letter!

No words…just…_no words…_I wasn't even _thinking _about that when I talked about babysitting you! No comments on the whole 'philosophy' business, either. :S

Ha! You'll _need_ all the grass and electric-type Pokémon you can get! You _know _you'll just get creamed if we had a toe-to-toe battle with solely water-type Pokémon! ;P

Don't worry, Ash. You're an idiot, but even idiots can learn to behave like ordinary human beings instead of overly excited Pokémon trainers ;) .

That's good for May. She's clearly happy with that kinda stuff, so keep it up. You'll be able to know more about a girl's feelings soon with time, I'm sure. And if you're still wondering about May and Drew, they clearly like each other. Make sure to give them some space together the next time you see Drew, and watch how things play out. You'll surely learn a lot of things for yourself that way.

And if you really need more enlightenment on what Sabrina means by that, I'll just say it out to you now. She thinks that we like each other. As in, 'crush' like, not just 'friend' like. I wouldn't be surprised if a whole lot of other people we know think the same thing. Brock included. The way they all react when they see us next to each other just gives it away.

Gotta go now. Best of luck with everything, Ash.

Love,

Mist.


	7. Chapter 7

20 April 2005

Dear Mist,

Sorry about the unusually long delay in writing my reply. It's been a long trek through the countless miles of bushes and forests to get to Fortree City, but we're finally here at the Pokémon Center. I never really got a chance to properly respond to the letter you sent just under two weeks ago, as I've only been able to receive it recently. Thankfully, Brock, May and Max are all asleep – Pikachu as well – so I hope I'll get a chance to, now.

There's just so much that I want to talk to you about – the least being more of the light talk we normally have in our letters – but I couldn't help but feel something weird inside after reading the last part of your letter. About all the others thinking that we like each other, I mean.

I'm just…really confused at the moment. While we were traveling together through Kanto and Johto, I always thought of you as being my best friend. You bugged me on occasion, and also were a real pain in the backside at times, but the more I traveled here without you, I couldn't help but feel that I was really missing something that was very important to me. At first, I just thought I was getting a little homesick like usual, but now, weeks after we started writing to each other, I realize that what I missed most about home was…_you_.

I miss everything about you. Your smile, your voice, the encouragement you give me…even your temper and the Mew-forbidden mallet you carry around. I miss my best friend.

Looking at myself now and at how clueless I was about May and Drew, I found out just how much you affected me while we were still together. I still remember the days when we'd laugh and chuckle quietly with each other whenever we saw hints of romance between two shy people, or even briefly share a snicker before you'd pull Brock away from a Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny. I don't do any of that now. I can't even recognize a slight hint of romance which would send Brock on a wild flight of fantasy, and only scratch my head in confusion whenever he does throw a tantrum.

Mist, I can tell you now that you mean a lot to me and that I think of you very often, but I'd never know if I feel for you in the way that you're saying we do for each other. I just…don't know.

Heheh…you must think that this is really Brock who's doing the writing behind my back. But it isn't, Mist. It's really me. I know it's hard to believe it, but…well…I guess people grow up eventually, don't they?

I'll be battling Winona for the Feather Badge in the morning. It's getting late, and I think Pikachu's beginning to stir in bed, so…until next time, Mist.

Miss you,

Ash.

* * *

><p>2 May 2005<p>

Dear Ash,

Sorry for not replying sooner. It's just that I was actually…shocked…to see a letter from you that was in such depth. It was a side of you which I had never even seen in my life, and it just completely took me by surprise.

After I first read about how you truly felt about me, I couldn't help but fall back onto my bed and read your letter over and over again. It was as if the boy I knew had grown up all of a sudden without my knowing about it.

Ash, I…have a confession to make. You see, ever since we first met, you've eluded me. I first thought of you as yet another nosy, arrogant trainer who grossly overestimated his abilities, but as time went by, I grew to realize that there was so much more to you. You may seem like a cocky guy on the outside to some who don't know you, but somewhere along the track, I realized that in truth, you're a guy who cares deeply about his Pokémon and his friends above all…and about me. I can't begin to count the number of times you saved my life, and I saved you in return. And I'm grateful that we were able to share such moments together, no matter how life-threatening they may have been.

I miss you, Ash. I've missed and thought of you every single day since we parted ways after I received my repaired bike from Nurse Joy. The bike meant nothing to me at that point – the real reason I traveled with you was because I had fallen for you. I gave you my handkerchief because I had hoped that by doing so, you wouldn't forget me. I now see that I didn't need to give it to you at all – it gives me so much joy to see that you think of me that way.

You may miss me as your best friend, but I miss you for being something that means so much more to me. A person who means everything to me, and for whom I would give up everything precious to me if it means I could spend another day with him.

Yes.

I love you, Ash Ketchum. _I love you_. With all my heart. I can't deny that for another second. Not to Sabrina, and not to you. Every morning after I wake up, I can't help but walk to my window and stare out of it, hoping that you'd be walking up to the porch of the gym despite knowing that it wouldn't be the case. I just can't help it.

If it's doubt that's making you hesitant to convince yourself of whatever your feelings for me may be, Ash, then I can only hope that you now feel more assured about yourself. And don't worry – I can tell that Brock hasn't had a single hand in writing your letter. I know you, Ash : ) .

Best of luck with all the battles to come.

I love you always,

Mist.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** This might feel a bit rash and kind of out-of-character of them at a still-early stage in the fic, but I wanted to advance the story at an earlier stage rather than leaving it late. I don't think I'll take this story into the Sinnoh region as I basically stopped watching the anime during the middle of the Hoenn seasons. I'll probably wrap it up soon after Ash returns to Kanto and meets Misty at his house, so I wanted to build their relationship further before getting close to that point.


	8. Chapter 8

9 May 2005

Dearest Mist,

I simply can't describe how I'm feeling right now as I'm writing this letter. I guess you could say that I'm feeling the same way as you did when you got my last letter. I just don't know what to say.

Well, I guess what I _can _say is that after reading your reply, things sure have gotten a lot clearer for me. It only took me a few minutes after taking in what you said, that I realized the truth for myself. And the truth, Misty, is that I feel for you the same way that you feel about me. I can never let go of you. My memory of you was like an endless black hole in my chest, sucking in all the happiness out of me until I came to terms with how I feel about you. Whatever joy or excitement came with one day was almost instantly gone by night as I always looked at the handkerchief you gave to me, sometimes wishing that you had given me a photo of you to keep instead. That cycle continued right up until I read your last letter, which took so much off my mind.

You must really think that I'm an idiot for not realizing the reason you stayed with me for two whole years, don't you? Well…I admit that I'm an idiot. Only an idiot would be clueless for that long. I know I should be feeling so happy that we finally confessed our love to each other, Mist, but…I just can't. When I think of the fact that I hadn't gotten a grip of myself sooner and loved you the way you wanted, I can't help but be angry at myself. I can't begin to imagine all the inner pain that I've caused you over the time that you secretly loved me.

I want to make everything up to you, Mist. I swear that I will. As soon as I finish what I set out to do here in Hoenn, I'm coming straight home, and back to you. I want to set everything right.

We're currently staying at the Pokémon Center in Bolvil Town, a small place that's located between Fortree City and Lilycove City. We'll probably be here for some time – May's come down with something, and we can't move on without looking after her first. Nurse Joy is caring for her right in the other room. Turns out Brock can control himself after all, if the situation calls for it. I can tell he's torn inside about it though, heheheh…

Hoping that everything's going fine at the gym. Tell Sabrina next time she drops by, that I'm thankful to her for everything she's done for you. And us.

Loving and thinking of you always,

Ash.

* * *

><p>17 May 2005<p>

Dearest Ash,

Happy. I can't believe that I'm having a moment where I can genuinely say that I'm happy. I haven't felt this way for so long. The first time I felt this warm inside was on my eighth birthday – the last I spent with my parents while they were still with me. The second time was when you woke up in Pokémon Tower, after I thought I had lost you forever. I can safely say that today is the third.

But don't be so down on yourself, Ash. It wasn't just your fault that we didn't end up the way we wanted to while we were still traveling together. I can only blame myself for not coming forward to you about my feelings. And I feel the same way about you too, you know. I get that feeling that the most important part of my life is missing from my heart, and that is you. The only things I have here to remember you by are your letters.

As much as I want to see you more than anything, Ash, don't feel that way about brashly coming back home. Remember what I've told you in my previous letters: just enjoy yourself, and make the most of your time in Hoenn. You'll only come to regret it if you rush things unnecessarily. My love for you will never change while you're away, Ash, so take things one at a time. I'll always be waiting for you to come back.

A lot of people say that a long-distance relationship is one of the hardest things to undertake, but…I'm sure I'll get used to it. Just the feeling of being loved by you makes up for all of that.

Things are going quite well at the gym. Sure, it gets lonely at times, but Sabrina drops by to help me out and keep me company whenever she's free and doesn't have any challengers. And that's more often than not, fancy that? People must be getting scared of Haunter, heheh ^^ . She usually visits some time in the afternoon, and we either cook something or go out for lunch together. She helps me to make dinner at times as well, and even zaps me back with her to go see various places in Saffron City. It sure is a really wonderful place. Sabrina's parents are both so nice to me as well.

And you asked for a photo, didn't you? Well, look in the envelope again. I'm sure you'll be quite pleasantly surprised. : )

Hope everything's fine with you guys now, and best of luck for your next match.

Love you always, and looking forward to seeing you again soon.

Mist.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Bolvil Town is just a random place I made up. There's so many random towns that they come across in the anime that are not in the games, so I thought I might as well.


	9. Chapter 9

25 May 2005

Darling Misty,

I'm so glad to hear that you're happy, and that Sabrina's taking such good care of you. I'll make sure to thank her properly when I get back home. And I never realized that you felt that way after seeing me wake up from…well, technically I was dead for a few minutes. This might sound crazy, but I was actually the ghost you lifted you into the air. You should've seen the look on your face, Mist! I could feel some wet spots on my t-shirt afterwards, as well. ^^

I know that I should try and enjoy myself over here in Hoenn as you say, Mist, but I'm finding it a bit difficult to do. Sure, I'm having a good time here and feel good that May, Max and Brock are having fun as well, but…I really can't describe how I'm feeling. If I was all by myself and hadn't won six out of eight badges already, I'd do anything to get back to you – swim the entire sea if I had to, even. That's how much you really mean to me. But I can't leave the others behind; I want to help May become a better trainer and co-ordinator, let Max see and explore more of the world, and also let Brock experience everything that Hoenn has to offer. I dunno…I just feel…_trapped_, somewhat.

You really enjoy setting me on bad habits, don't you Mist? Before, I'd take out your handkerchief and fondle it and hold it close to me until I'd fall asleep. Replacing that with a photo only makes that habit worse. And did you really have to wink like that in the picture, instead of making a simple smile? It's still driving me kinda crazy. Not to mention that May was squealing for an hour after seeing the kiss mark on the back of the photo from your lipstick. You look absolutely great in white, though, I have to say.

You'd also have noticed that you got a parcel instead of a normal letter this time. Well, we were looking around the department store here in Lilycove, and Brock suggested that I get you a perfume. I'm still not used to smelling them around, but…he and I thought you might like it. It was quite troublesome, though – May spent around half an hour trying out samples of every single one before picking one out for us. Made me buy one for her, as well -_- . But I hope you like it

Oh yeah, May got another rose as well as a box of chocolates delivered to her last night, from Drew. Apparently he wanted to congratulate her after she won the local Pokémon contest. She went up against another co-ordinator called Kelly, and the two of them are really good friends as far as I can tell. I wish Gary could be as likeable a person as Kelly, haha. It was funny to see May blush and go red, and insist to us that her relationship with Drew is nothing like ours, Mist. I can't imagine how embarrassed she is, hahaha.

Since you gave me a photo of yourself, I figured that it'd be nice if we took a picture and sent you it in return. Just ignore the silly face that Brock's pulling – we couldn't make him stop, heheheh. Did you know that he had also suggested that I send you a lock of my hair? He says that some people like to have stuff like that to remember each other by, but I find it a bit gross, to be honest. He kept on pestering me about it, so I just gave in in the end. Hope you're not freaked out or anything. :S

We're setting out for Mossdeep City in two days' time. It's going to take us some time to get there by sea, so we have to rest up properly first. I'll write to you again once I'm there.

I love you more.

Your Ash.

* * *

><p>1 June 2005<p>

My sweet Ashy-poo (Yup, got that one from your mom! ;) )

I am going to kill you. No joke. That was one of the most terrifying moments of my entire life! But don't worry – Sabrina will have her Kadabra as well as Haunter prepare a _special _treat for you when you get back home! :D

Heheh…you probably _would _be able to swim the entire sea, I reckon – considering how hyperactive you are from sunrise to sunset, I'd say that's a real possibility ^^ . That's so sweet of you to say Ash, but do take your time. There's absolutely nothing stopping you from taking all the time that you need to fully appreciate everything around you in Hoenn. And come on – it's not like you're gonna be gone forever and never return! Who knows? You might be back in just a few months' time, and I'll be waiting for you. ;)

I'm not so sure that I'm ready to hear that you hold such a degree of…_affection_ for my photo. You're a creepy guy, Ash Ketchum, hahaha ^^ . But why are you complaining? I thought you'd like a kiss and a wink, so I gave you those. But thank you – I thought at first that white isn't really my color, but that's made me think otherwise. : )

Seriously, I can't begin to thank you for your gift. It smells absolutely fantastic! You should take May on more shopping trips from now on. Who knows? Even a numskull like _you _could potentially develop a sense of fashion!

That's so wonderful for May! She won a contest, and she gets another present from her secret admirer – what more can a girl ask for? Make her fess up! You and I did the same thing a while ago, didn't we? I'm sure Drew cares for her in that way. They should travel together to compete in contests elsewhere after you're done in Hoenn, in my opinion. May seems well and truly ready for that sort of thing. And wouldn't it be romantic as well? Two lovers traveling the world together? It'd be my kind of dream. But remember – you're paying the fees!

Thanks so much for the photo! It's a great thing to keep with me to remember you and Brock by. May and Max look like really great people to be with, as well. I'm kinda jealous of May now, to be honest. She's so pretty! And don't you worry, Brock was right about the lock of hair. It's my treasure now, and no-one else is touching or seeing it. Not even Sabrina, heheheh ;)

Go get em', tiger. Win that badge like I know you will.

I love you most. S2

Your Mist


	10. Chapter 10

8 June 2005

Dear Misty,

A shiver ran up my spine the moment I read that line about Haunter and Kadabra. Please have mercy! I don't want to think about what those two can do to me, let alone Sabrina!

I'm a very energetic person. There's a fine line of difference between being that and being 'hyperactive'. Maybe you're just lazy? ^o^ . And you're definitely right about enjoying everything that Hoenn has to offer. The forests and bushlands were one thing – the ocean is another. I thought that the sea between Dewford and Slateport was beautiful, but the sea that stretches beyond Mossdeep is absolutely stunning. The color of the ocean reminded me so much of the color of your eyes. I miss seeing them every day. Having a photo of you just seems to be never enough.

Nope, you most definitely should wear white more often. Seeing you in yellow has gotten a bit dull, to be honest. White seems like such a fresh change, and it suits you great. I'll just have to make sure that May doesn't snatch your photo while I'm not looking. She's tried to do it a few times already as a prank. ;)

Glad to hear that you like it. I'm happy whenever you're happy, but that still doesn't make me keen on going shopping more often with May. She decides to buy one thing, and then she goes around on a shopping spree, leaving me, Brock and Max to carry all her luggage. I can still feel some of the back strains I suffered from last week… _

I'm not so sure, but May's been acting a bit strange lately. She's been smiling so much more often ever since the time around I wrote my last letter to you. Always a smile on her face whenever she thinks that none of us are looking at her. Something must have happened between her and Drew – Brock suspects it as well.

I'm paying the fees for our trip, huh? Well, you better hope that I win the Hoenn Ever Grande Conference, then! Yup, I've made up my mind to take part in it. I was thinking of coming straight home to you, but Brock, May and Max have been really encouraging me to take up the challenge. I hope I'll do alright.

I'm writing this letter from inside the Sootopolis City Pokémon Center right now. I've been tensing up a lot in the last few hours because I can feel the match that's coming tomorrow. I feel a bit better now. Writing to you kinda soothes my mind, I suppose. And guess what type of Pokémon they use at Sootopolis Gym? Water! I'll make sure to get May and Brock to take some photos of Juan's Pokémon during our battle. I'm sure you'll like to see them. Water Pokémon in Hoenn are so uniquely different from those in Kanto and Johto.

A dozen hugs and kisses. (Yeah, from _me_, I know. ^^ )

Ash

* * *

><p>16 June 2005<p>

Dear Ash,

Think Sabrina's gonna be bad? You've obviously forgotten the taste of my mallet! :D

Nope. You're definitely hyperactive :P . But wow, Hoenn's sea sound truly wondrous. I'd love to visit there one day. Maybe you could introduce me to May and Max? And I miss you too, Ash. Every day. More than you could imagine. I guess that several months apart does that to people, doesn't it?

Thanks a lot for that tip. I just might decide to wear white for the day you come back to Kanto, if you like the sight so much : ) . And I have a feeling that I'll get along great with May if I happen to meet her. She and I have one thing in common so far – _two _things, actually: shopping, and annoying you for fun! And why are you complaining about _May's _shopping load? Mew help you if I want you to come shopping with me, Sabrina and Erika at Celadon! :P

Oh my…is that…the ability to identify love when you see it? From you? I guess miracles _do _happen after all, don't they? Please do tell May for me that I think she should admit her feelings for Drew to you guys. It's only fair, after all her prying on our own relationship, isn't it? Heheheh.

I'm so proud of you, Ash. I'm sure that your mom would be so proud of you as well, considering how much progress you've made in so short a time. May I tell her? It's been over a month since we confessed our love for each other through our letters, and I think that it's time. We're going to have to tell her about our relationship eventually, and I just feel that it's right to tell her the truth now. Sure, she might get a bit upset that you contacted me but didn't contact her, but knowing her, she'll most definitely understand. Besides, I can't let her miss seeing you compete in the Conference, can I? We'll both be behind you all the way, I can assure you.

And "coming home" to me? I can't recall ever saying that the Cerulean Gym is your home, mister! Though it can always be your second home, if you like : ) . Just make sure to take the other bed if you decide to visit. I love you, but I don't think I'm ready for sharing a bed just yet :S . Knowing you, you'd probably take up the whole bed to yourself while forcing me to roll over and fall out! ^^

I know it's pointless at this time to wish you luck for your gym battle, as I can already predict the outcome. Congratulations on your final badge, my happy little conqueror. I can't wait to see the photos you took for me : ) .

Best of luck for the Conference. Always remember that I love you and will be rooting for you.

A hundred hugs and kisses~

Misty

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sorry about the long wait for this new update. I've just finished all my uni exams for this semester (I'm in Melbourne, Australia), and I had no time to write while I was busy studying.

I think I'll be able to bring this story to a close in about four or five more chapters. I'm also feeling a slight urge to return to writing the next chapter in Book IV of my Chosen One Pokémon saga, after reading RandomWordsMashedUp's "The Next Generation of Time", which I'm currently really enjoying. I may or may not decide to go ahead with it in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for it in case I do.

Until next time, please leave your reviews! : )


	11. Chapter 11

28 June 2005

Dear Mist,

Sorry about the long delay. We've just arrived in Ever Grande City by ship about an hour ago, and we're all quite exhausted from the journey. May's come down with a cold again because she spent too much time up on deck during night-time. It's kind of interesting to see Nurse Joy tending to a person instead of a Pokémon, haha.

Speaking of May…We were all surprised to see that Drew also turned up to Ever Grande for the Conference. He was on the same cruise as us, as well! He wasn't competing though – said that he was going to be a spectator. He also brought more roses for May, which we kind of expected the moment we spotted him. They spent about an hour alone by the front rails of the ship, just staring off at the full moon, so Brock, Max and I decided to give them some privacy and return to our room. I guess that's the reason why May caught a cold? I'm getting better at picking these things up, aren't I? ;)

I'm missing you so much as well right now, Mist. I've just read that the Conference's matches are held over a period that's just under two weeks. As much as I wanted to get everything over as quickly as possible and come back to you like lightning, it's just not going to happen. No matter how fast I want to progress through the competition, my Pokémon have to rest as well, and I don't want to push them too much.

About Mom…I guess it'd be an 'alright' time to tell her, if you really want to. I'm just embarrassed about how she might react, that's all. I don't know if I told you this, but she told me that she's never been in a relationship before she met my dad, and she married him later. So yeah…I'm braced for the hysteria. She'll probably flip over with happiness if you tell her about our relationship, and start asking you time and time again if we're thinking of having a family together, yadayadda…Go ahead by all means if you want to – I'd rather talk to you and her freely about it after I come back from Hoenn. Just…make sure she doesn't go overboard, ok? Pretty please? :S

Don't be that nervous about the bed. I can just take a single bed if that's what you want. But don't you think that's be a bit too harsh? I've really cut down on rolling around while sleeping this year, you know, haha.

I'm happy to tell you that Brock's taken plenty of photos of our battle. Juan's Pokémon were absolutely outstanding. Think you could send something back to wish me good luck? Heheh. I think I'm kind of lucky I actually won, to be honest. Just shows that I've got a lot of work cut out ahead of me if I'm going to have a real chance of winning this thing.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Remember the Nurse Joy I told you in the first part of this letter, who tended to May? Well, it turns out that she was the same PIA agent Joy who visited you at the Cerulean Gym. Even she suspected that we had feelings for each other, so I basically confirmed it for her, as well as thanking her a lot for all the help she gave you.

Hope things are going good for you at the Cerulean Gym, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon .

I love you.

Ash

* * *

><p>5 July 2005<p>

Dear Ash,

Great to hear that you've won that badge like I knew you would. I've been doing good too over here – 15 matches in a row without a single defeat! Psyduck's much more used to the water nowadays, as well.

I told your mom about our relationship and also about how far you've come in the Hoenn League. She actually surprised me, because she wasn't shocked at all when I told her about our relationship, would you believe it? I guess she somehow knew or suspected it all along. She even had a great smile on her face when I admitted it. I guess that means she's already looking forward to grandkids? She'll have to wait many years if that's what she wants, though, haha ^^ .

Wow, I'm really happy for May! ...And sorry as well because of her cold, heheheh. But that's such a romantic thing for her and Drew to do…Promise me you'll take me on a private cruise one day? I'm also one for _white _roses, thank you in advance. ;)

Just make sure to take things easy, one thing at a time. I know that you're pretty much a "do first, think later" kind of guy (no offense, Ash, just saying from experience!), but I think that you're beginning to take a greater step towards becoming a more mature person (again, no offense!). It's always good to hear that you're caring so much for your Pokémon – after all, it's what made me fall in love with you in the first place. : )

And stop making such a big deal about the bed! We'll work things out about it once you get back, ok? Geesh, Ash! _ . But to be honest, I guess I wanted to…cuddle a bit? I mean, during the years of traveling we spent together, although we definitely loved each other on the inside, we never went beyond holding hands every now and then. I've only realized now that I never really got the chance to hug you as I wanted to, no matter how much I longed for it. I guess that's what it is. I just wanted to hold you close. It's been months since we last saw each other in person, and I miss you so much.

That's great that you met Agent Joy in the end. She was a real help to me around the Gym while she was visiting, and I still remember her fondly. I don't think that I would have ever managed Gyarados if it wasn't for her help.

Well, you asked for a good luck charm, so here you go. I've slipped in a lock of my hair and lightly sprayed it with a bit of the perfume you bought me. Hope that gives you a lot of motivation, mister :P . And thanks so much for all the photos. It might sound weird that I've learned many techniques and other things from looking at still photos, but I really have. I guess it's a Water Pokémon trainer thing? You might be able to learn similar skills one day ;P .

Good luck for all your upcoming matches, Ash. I love you, and I know you'll give it your all. Make me and your mom proud : )

Love,

Mist.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I've read on Bulbapedia that the Hoenn League Championship was held three months after Ash won the Rain Badge from Juan, but I really didn't want to drag the story out that long. I also noted that I happened to miss the episodes which cover the Togepi / Mirage Kingdom events, because I basically tuned out of watching the anime many years ago after the Johto era. But then again, I like the originality of this fic, so I'm going to go ahead with it.


	12. Chapter 12

Ash's heart beat nervously as he approached the front door of his house in Pallet Town. He was very tired from the long ferry trip from Hoenn to Kanto, but his desire to see Misty again drove him to push his fatigue to its limits as his legs seemed to move on their own. He learned that the Water Pokémon gym leader was absent from her gym when he called her using one of the video phones in the Ever Grande reception room: she had taken a three-week break to ensure that she could visit Pallet Town to watch his matches on television with his mother. He was given the surprise of his life when Misty was the one to pick up the phone at his house to greet him. What was almost a half-hour conversation felt like mere minutes or seconds as they caught up on all that had happened in one another's lives.

Raising his fist to the door, Ash hesitated a little while Pikachu cheerfully implored him to go ahead.

"I'm going to, buddy, but…I'm just a bit nervous, y'know?" Ash winced at his faithful Pokémon and began to trail off in thought. "Letters and a phone call are one thing – actually meeting her again in person is another. I wonder how she'll react. It's been months since we last saw each other, and—"

"Pikachupi!" Pikachu yelped in shock and leapt up the moment the door lurched open inwards, sending Ash flying forward and into the arms of the redhead who hugged him so tight that he found himself short of breath. She ran her fingers all through his hair, showing just how inadequate a lock of hair was compared to having him back with her.

"Ash! It's really you!" Misty cried out in joy, kissing him lightly numerous times on the face before giving him a meaningful and longer kiss on the lips which he at first returned half-heartedly, but quickly grew into.

"Talk about a first kiss, Mist," Ash chuckled, caressing her hair and face while she smiled at him.

"Pikachupi!" Pikachu enthusiastically jumped into Misty's arms.

"I've missed you too, Pikachu!" Misty laughed.

"Ash? Is my Ashypoo really back?" Delia came running to the door from the kitchen, Mimey hurriedly following after her. "Oh it really _is _you!" She quickly proceeded to hold both Ash and Misty in a tight hold that they both desperately wanted to free themselves from in order to save their precious bones.

"G-great to see you again, mom," Ash coughed and smiled after she released them.

"Oh, it's so good to finally see you together! You'll make such a lovely couple, I'm sure of it! The two of you remind me of me and Ash's father when we were young!" she continued.

"Glad to hear that," Misty grinned as she put her arms around Ash again.

"C'mon, Mist, you're embarrassing me," Ash whined.

"Umm, excuse me for asking, Delia, but would you mind if I go upstairs with Ash into his room and help him unpack his things? I'd like a moment alone with him so that we can properly catch up," Misty asked.

"Of course, dear," Delia nodded positively. "Lunch will be ready when you come back down."

"Great!" Ash's eyes lit up enthusiastically and his fists flew up to each side of his face.

Misty chuckled and nudged him in the cheek. "Idiot…come on up."

* * *

><p>"So how have you been all this time, Ash?" Misty asked him while they both sat on the bed.<p>

"Missing you," Ash joked. "That about sums it up."

Misty laughed and pushed him on the chest, sending him onto the mattress. "Since when have you gotten so mushy all of a sudden?"

"I have no idea. Things just change naturally, I guess. I'm just surprised that you're actually here instead of taking care of the gym."

"Yeah…about that," Misty explained. "I applied for leave to the Pokémon League HQ so that I could come here and stay a bit. I thought they'd say no, but Sabrina helped me out in my application by telling them just what a _marvellous _job I did over the past few months, and that I was all alone for most of the time and needed a break."

"Talking about Sabrina…" Ash nervously replied, remembering all too well the teasing threats in Misty's previous letters about the psychic Pokémon trainer, "is she…you know…around?"

Misty grinned mischievously. "I don't know…would you like to find out?"

Ash and Pikachu looked around at the same time and in the same direction, peering curiously in every direction. Once they were convinced that there was nothing else in the room, they let out a sigh of relief.

"What, you don't want me here, Ash?" Sabrina suddenly appeared and spoke from behind him with her arms crossed. Ash tensed and froze, a chilling feeling running up and down his spine as he spun around. He completely freaked out soon after when he felt a long, slimy tongue wallow him on the back of the head.

"Geez, you guys are the worst!" Ash joked and rubbed the gunk out of his hair.

"How have you been, Ash?" Sabrina asked. "Sorry in advance for ruining your…private moment."

"Haven't you been listening in on us the whole time, Sabs? I'm pretty sure you have," Misty said dully.

"Yup. Sure have," Sabrina nodded.

Ash answered. "I've been good, Sabrina. It's good to see you again. How's everything going at Saffron?"

"Quite boring, actually," Sabrina tilted her head to and fro. "My former creepy reputation's still clinging on in people's minds. You won't believe how some trainers still walk into my gym with legs that tremble like toothpicks. Good thing that Haunter's around to lighten things up. I have to thank you in person again for everything you did for me when you guys first came around, Ash."

"Don't mention it, Sabrina. Thanks for looking out for Misty. It means a lot to me," Ash replied.

Sabrina joked. "You mean that _she _means a lot to you."

Ash blushed. "Well…yeah, that too."

"But really, it was no problem. Honestly, it was actually a lot of fun hanging out with Misty these past few months. We had regular sleepovers at each other's place, and also hung out with Erika every now and then. You should have seen how much Erika laughed when we showed her some of you guys' letters," Sabrina laughed.

"You showed Erika our letters?" Ash freaked out.

Sabrina grinned. "It's a girl thing. You wouldn't understand. You can't imagine just how handy teleportation can be."

Misty shrugged at Ash. "I tried to stop them from reading our letters. It didn't take. They kept on pestering me until I gave in."

Ash gave Sabrina a tired look. "Thanks a _lot_, Sabrina…"

"Alright then, I'll take that as my cue to leave the two of you alone for now," Sabrina said as she began to walk out of the room. "I'll be downstairs helping your mom with lunch, Ash. And for the record, she knows I'm here because I came in through the front door, so don't worry about her freaking out or anything. See you guys in a short while. Haunter, come along."

"Haunt…" the Pokémon laughed mischievously as it faded away.

"No, Haunter, _come along_," Sabrina reiterated, and Haunter whined as it reluctantly came back into view and followed her out of the room.

"Ok then, Mist, what do you want to talk about, now that Sabrina and Haunter are go—" Ash was cut off as Misty tackled him on the bed and kissed him.

"Sorry," she childishly giggled to herself. "Always wanted to do that."

Ash raised his eyebrows in pleasant surprise. "Well, I'm not exactly complaining."

Misty drew back and sat kneeling in front of him on the bed. "Ash, I've been thinking about it, and…how would you like to stay with me for a few weeks at the Cerulean Gym? You see, it's kind of lonely there, even with Sabrina dropping by every now and then during the week. I'd really like some company. We can leave together whenever you want, after you've gotten some rest."

Ash's eyes lit up with joy. "You _know _I'd love to, Mist. I've been gone for so long, and I really want to settle down for a bit. I realize now that that's what I've been missing this whole time. I was so hooked up on adventure and Pokémon that I didn't give enough attention to the most important things in my life: my mom and…you…"

Misty blushed and gently tapped him on the chest. "Oh, stop it, you…But I'm so glad that you said yes. We'll just have to make sure that you don't get seen by the public. Too often, anyways."

"There's still one question that needs answering, though," Ash noted, placing his hand on his chin.

"What's that, Ash?"

"Ahem…" Ash cleared his throat, smiling as he patted his bed.

"Oh…" Misty took note of what he meant. "Ok, umm…I've been thinking, and…"

"…And?"

"I think it'll be alright. I mean, we already know just how close we used to keep our sleeping bags together while we were travelling in Kanto and Johto, that we'd almost touch. So I'm completely fine with sharing the bed with you now. I already told you in my last letter that I wanted to cuddle a bit, didn't I?" Misty smiled assuredly.

"You sure did, Mist," Ash beamed. "Everything's settled, then. I'll stay with you in Cerulean for as long as you want me to stay. For now, let's go downstairs. I'm _starving_!"

"Stomach always comes first, huh?" Misty chuckled. "Some things never change…"

* * *

><p>"Is that true, Misty?" Delia asked at the table while they ate together. "You want to take Ash to live with you?"<p>

"Just for a few weeks! I told you!" Misty blushed, thinking that Delia believed that she wanted Ash to move in with her permanently. She winced as she looked at Ash who was hooving away at a piece of steak and chips. "…I don't think I could handle going to the shops every day for food on top of taking care of the gym…"

"I don't know about you, Misty, but I have a feeling that Ash is going to hang around for a much longer time than that. Or, rather, you're going to cling on to him," Sabrina winked at her across the table.

Misty gave her a joking glare. "Again, _food budget_, Sabs."

"Oh, but it's such a lovely idea, Misty!" Delia squealed. "It'll give you a great idea on what it's like being a couple. The first few days might be hard, but things will become so much easier in the later days, believe me. And don't worry about the grocery shopping – I can send you weekly allowances, if that's what you want."

"No, please, Delia! You've already done so much for me in the past few months. I couldn't possibly ask for anything else!" Misty insisted.

"You know I could always zap in every now and then with food for you, Misty. My mom's a very good cook, and I'm not that shabby myself," Sabrina smiled, twirling her fork in her hand.

"That beef stew you made with me last month scalded my tongue. It's still fresh in my memory," Misty grimly recalled.

Sabrina raised her eyebrow. "So? It still tasted good, didn't it?"

"Well…yeah, it did," Misty sighed.

A moment of silence followed, and Delia couldn't help but notice that Ash's expression darkened a little. "Honey, is…something the matter?"

"Hm?" Ash looked up, then began to twirl his fork around. "Oh, nothing, mom…"

"You're disappointed about the Conference, yeah?" Misty took a guess, and Ash nodded with a little hesitance.

"Don't be so hooked up on things like that, Ash. It can lead to really bad things if you're not careful," Sabrina gave her advice. "Believe me – if you let yourself be controlled by your ambitions rather than the other way around, it can destroy you from the inside. I know, because before you guys came along, I lived with the obsession of one day matching and surpassing Will of the Johto Elite Four in terms of power and ability. I would have torn apart my own family if it wasn't for you and Haunter. Just take things easy, Ash."

Ash lightened up after taking in Sabrina's input. "Thanks, Sabrina. I'll take that tip on from now on. Oh by the way, I forgot to ask when I came home…I noticed that Professor Oak wasn't around. Is he gone somewhere?" Ash said.

"As a matter of fact, he is," Delia confirmed. "He's off on a conference with a number of other Pokémon professors. Something about new research? I forget."

"Wonder if Professor Ivy is with them," Misty giggled with Ash. "Maybe we should tell Brock?"

"Are you that cruel, Mist?" Ash grinned.

Misty winked. "Try me."

"So Ash, what do you plan on doing now that you're home? Are you thinking of going on another journey anytime soon?" Delia asked her son.

"Not really, mom," Ash answered. "I know that I used to jump at the idea of traveling before, but now I want to settle down for a bit with Misty before I decide to go somewhere again. I want to stay at home with you for a while as well. I never thought about it before, but the more I exchanged letters with Misty while I was away, I came to realize just how the two of you felt while I was gone. So I want to stay longer this time."

"That's so thoughtful of you, honey," Delia smiled proudly and squeezed Ash's hand. "I'm sure the two of you will be very happy together."

Ash and Misty looked at each other and shared a silent, warm smile. As strange as it was, the few months they spent apart from each other drew them so much closer than the years of traveling.

They had finally come to realize that absence makes the heart grow fonder.

* * *

><p>Despite agreeing that Ash would stay at the Cerulean Gym for no longer than a month, the two lovers were disappointed at just how fast three months seemed to flow while they took pleasure in each other's company. Ever since Sabrina teleported them to the gym after they bid Delia farewell in Pallet Town, Misty was shocked to see a marked difference in Ash's behavior. The once lazy boy had transformed into something that was barely short of a man as he made regular attempts to help her with various tasks around the gym. With every day that passed, Misty fell deeper in love with Ash and simply did not want to let him go.<p>

Needless to say, a lot of gossip began circulating in public about the two, not long after Ash arrived back with her and was regularly seen with her in both the gym and in public by trainers and townspeople alike. But over time, Misty grew mature enough to ignore the gossiping she noticed around them, and instead focus on living with Ash. She would snicker with embarrassment every time Sabrina would drop in and comment on how "Mr and Mrs Ketchum" were doing a splendid job running the Cerulean Gym.

Deciding to make the most of their final day together, Ash and Misty stood at the top of Cerulean Cape, looking out to the ocean while holding hands. Ash stared reflectively at the sea which glistened with the brilliant orange light of the setting sun, deeply conflicted by the pulling urges of his many dreams.

"You know," Misty said softly, "I always wanted to bring you out here after returning to Cerulean. I was…too embarrassed back then. I also knew that you wouldn't be interested because you wanted to go straight on to your next gym battle."

"We're here now, aren't we?" Ash smiled and put his hand around Misty's waist, holding her warmly against him.

"Yeah, but…I wanted this to be the place where I finally confessed my love for you after summoning up the courage. I never intended for this to be where I…said goodbye…" Misty looked down in sadness.

"We could always keep on exchanging letters, you know. I could call you every now and then, as well," Ash sought to console her.

"I know, but…now that you're here, I…This may sound crazy and possessive, Ash, but…I don't want you to leave. I wanted for you to stay with me. Every time I got a letter from you, my heart leapt with joy, but in the days between one letter and the next, I felt so…empty. I'd read each of your letters several times a day and couldn't help but want to be with you again. I…I miss the old days," Misty wept softly.

"Misty…" Ash whispered as he hugged her and kissed her on the head.

"I don't want to be alone…I don't want to feel torn on the inside…A lock of your hair and a photograph will never be enough…" Misty gripped the back of Ash's jacket.

Not being able to contain himself any longer, Ash made his decision. "Mist, if it means that much to you, then…then I'll stay."

Misty slowly looked up with her tear-filled cerulean eyes at him. "…What?"

"I know that my dream was to become a Pokémon Master, but…I've learned so many things about life in the past few months and weeks. That not everything is about Pokémon and winning battles. That there's more to life than just doing what feels good for me. Sometimes you need to make sacrifices for others you love and care about. It took me a while, but…I learned that in the end. So I'm staying. I won't go on to the Sinnoh region, even though that's what I wanted. I won't leave you to feel sad and alone anymore."

Misty cried tears of joy as she caressed Ash's cheek and whispered his name. But just as she was on the brink of accepting his offer, Ash's words suddenly resonated within her mind.

"_Sometimes you need to make sacrifices for others you love and care about…"_

Making peace with her own emotions, Misty smiled as she leaned in and kissed Ash gently on the lips before speaking to him. "Ash, I change my mind."

"What?"

"I change my mind. Go on – go to Sinnoh."

"Mist, I thought that you—" Ash said in surprise before Misty cut him off with a soft finger on his lips.

"I know what I said, and I take it all back. You just said it yourself, didn't you? Sometimes sacrifices are necessary if you truly care for somebody. So go on, Ash. Live your dream. I'd only feel guilty knowing that I'm holding you back from achieving what you want. And besides, you really think that we're ready to live with each other over the long term just yet? We're not married, Ash – we're both 14. You'll only come to regret it later on in life if you let these opportunities slip through your fingers. Just do me a small favor."

"What's that, Mist?"

Misty joked. "Don't fall in love with the next girl that you meet and travel with, if you do indeed end up traveling together. I won't go as far as force you to carry my handkerchief or lure around, but…you know what I mean. Keep on writing to me as well."

Ash grinned back. "You _know _I'll be taking both of them, along with your photo and lock of hair."

Misty laughed. "I guess we're both a little creepy in that respect, yeah?"

Ash chuckled as they shared another kiss and embrace. After a few more minutes of sharing words while enjoying the view and scenery, he took her hand and spoke to her again.

"It's growing dark now, Mist. Let me take you back to the gym on Charizard," he offered, taking out the Pokéball of the Pokémon which returned the previous week from the Charicific Valley.

"Actually, no," she declined with a smile. "It…it feels good saying goodbye to you this way, Ash. I want to look back and remember this day for months to come until we meet again. The sound of the ocean…the radiant sunset…it's a perfect way to remember you by. So I want to stay here for just a while longer by myself after you leave. I just don't think I'd look back on this day as fondly if I said goodbye to you at the front of the gym and then dragged myself back in to cry on my bed, do you?"

"But Mist…"

"It's ok. I can find my way back home from here. Besides, the sun's still up and there'll be enough light for me to see. Your belongings are already packed and lying just inside the gym at the front door. You can pick them up as you leave."

"The sun may be up still, but that doesn't mean that things won't get chilly," Ash said, removing his jacket and putting it around her. "Here, keep it. Think of it as another thing to remember me by."

Misty grinned and leaned forward. "What else could it be?"

Ash smiled silently at her, then released Charizard from its Pokéball. The large dragon roared proudly and crouched down to let Ash mount on it. Sharing a final kiss with Misty, Ash walked slowly towards Charizard and got on. The dragon lifted off and soared through the air back towards them gym while Ash looked back at Misty, never taking his eyes off her until she was no longer visible.

Misty smiled as she watched Ash and Charizard slowly disappear into the horizon. She gently squeezed the fabric of Ash's jacket, taking pleasure at the warmth it brought her.

"Go get em', tiger…"

* * *

><p>At night back in Pallet Town, Delia Ketchum sat on her bed with a peaceful smile on her face as she held in her hand a box which she took out of her closet. Upon slowly opening the box, she took out a pile of small pieces of paper which were of great sentimental value to her. Unbeknownst to Ash and Misty, Delia was also regularly exchanging letters with her husband who was away on a Pokémon journey of his own.<p>

Unfolding the letter, she re-read words which brought great warmth to her heart.

_Dearest Delia,_

_It gives me so much joy to hear how our son has grown and developed in the past few months. He and I are so alike, in a way. We were both so hooked up on our journey and quest to become a Pokémon Master, that we failed to recognize what is truly important in life. It took years of your constant presence to show me just what I truly loved in my life, and it's been the same with Ash and Misty. Although I have never had the pleasure of meeting Misty, I'm sure that she is a lovely person who will provide Ash the same happiness that you had gifted me._

_I must thank you again for looking out for Misty after her sisters left for their world trip. Clarissa will be able to rest in peace knowing that her beloved daughter is under the care of loving hands. My heart is warmed to hear that Ash has been caring for her in the Cerulean Gym. No matter whether he chooses to settle down or begin another journey, I am proud of everything he has and will achieve in life._

_I'll be arriving soon in Homebreeze Town. It's a relatively small town on the southern coast of Sinnoh. It's been quite roughed up following a serious monsoon some weeks ago, so I've got a lot of work cut out ahead of me and unfortunately don't have much time at all to write to you again for a few days. Nevertheless, it gives me great joy to work alongside my Pokémon to help others. And the great charm of it? Nobody here really knows who I am. Here, I can be just another ordinary guy who works with the desire to help others, instead of putting on an act as the former Champion of Kanto. My deeds out here have given me more fulfilment than all the battles and all the badges that I had ever won in my lifetime. Hopefully that will also be something that Ash learns with time._

_One day, when I am ready to, I will return to you and Ash. Until then, I will continue to commit myself to protecting and helping others wherever I may meet them. _

_I love you, my darling._

_Chris._

Delia folded the letter again and held it close to her heart, a small tear escaping her eye and falling onto her lap. She put back the letter into the box and placed it in its original place, then slipped beneath the covers of her bed and drifted off into a peaceful state of sleep. As always, she dreamed of her husband and son.

* * *

><p>Having lost all sense of time, Misty stayed at the peak of Cerulean Cape for hours, silently reminiscing about her last embrace and kiss with Ash. The sun had already set, and darkness had settled by the time that she returned to the gym. She shuddered slightly at the cold as she opened the door with her key and closed it behind her. But immediately upon hearing the click of the door, she took notice of a red object which fell from the handle.<p>

Looking down, her eyes widened after she saw just what it was.

"A…Ash's…hat?" she murmured, getting down on one knee to pick it up by its peak. Raising the hat, she took sight of a small, folded piece of paper which remained on the floor. Tucking the hat between her chest and forearm, she knelt down and unfolded the paper with both hands. She could feel the tears seeping again from her eyes as soon as she finished reading the short handwritten message.

_Thought you might like something extra._

_I love you, Mist._

Misty firmly grasped Ash's hat and held it against her heart, smiling as tears rolled down her face. A jacket; perfume; a photograph…even a lock of his own hair couldn't compare to an item which Ash had always treasured and held so much sentimental value for. Misty always believed that she could never love anyone besides Ash in her life, and now any and all doubts that had once settled in her heart and mind were gone.

She would wait for him.

She would wait for him, no matter how long it took for him to return to her.

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well, that's it for this fic. I know it feels kind of premature for it to end with this chapter because you'd have expected another letter-style chapter before everything got wrapped up, but I thought that Ash would have liked to directly contact Misty for once instead of writing another letter. Nevertheless, I hope you've enjoyed it.

I know that May, Max and Professor Birch later came to visit in the actual episode, but I left them out in this fic as I just wanted to focus on Ash and Misty.

I was initially thinking of somehow linking it with my main Pokéshipping 'The Chosen One' series, but decided against it because of overly-significant plot differences. I still kept Ash's dad/Delia's husband's name the same from those fics, though. Ideally, I'd like to write a journey-fic featuring Ash's parents, but that'd take well over a year to start, given that I've currently put Book IV of the 'Chosen One' series on hold (and a total of six books are in that series, with the 'prequel' of Delia and Chris's journeys to come afterwards) and am writing fics in other genres besides Pokémon.

Thanks for all your reviews to date. I'm still working on my other fics outside the Pokémon genre at the moment, so I'll get back to my main Pokémon series as soon as I finish up on those.


	13. Epilogue

**A/N:** I got bored and felt like writing something a little extra on this fic, so here's an epilogue. I don't think I'll go on with this one beyond this final add-on, as I'm not one for journey fics. I'll definitely return to writing and eventually finishing my Chosen One series in due time, but I'm still working on my other fics at the moment. At any rate, here's the last chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

"…three…two…one…Ready or not, here I come!" a young girl gleefully exclaimed, opening her eyes and bolting up from the living room sofa. Her instincts kicking in, she immediately ran up to the second storey of the building and straight for her parents' bedroom. Creeping up to the closed wardrobe with a cheeky grin on her face, she did not make a sound before suddenly lurching forth and forcefully pulling the handle backwards. A dazed little boy comically fell forward, caught in mid-air by his sister as the two of them collapsed in a heap on the carpet.

"Ow! Mia, why do you have to be so jumpy all of the time?" the boy whined, rubbing the sore on the side of his head.

"Not my fault that the wardrobe is your favourite hiding spot," Mia chuckled. "Really, Dean, you should try something new. It's called 'variation'!"

"Meh, I'm bored already. Let's go down and see what mom and dad are doing," Dean sighed, struggling to get his twin sister off of him.

"Oh, Dean, you're just like dad – always having to rely on other people to clean up after your own mess," Mia laughed as she walked over to tidy the clothes that her brother got into a muddle when he fell out of the wardrobe. "Now help me put these clothes back in their place, and…hey, what's this?" Her eyes darted to a small box which she and her brother had never noticed before.

"Wha…?" Dean blinked, still disorientated from his fall as he gathered himself and got up on his feet.

"Check this out! I wonder what it could be?" Mia smiled, showing such enthusiasm that it was almost as if she discovered a treasure chest. "Let's open it up and find out!"

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Wouldn't mom and dad freak out if they find out that we looked through what's inside?" Dean said with hesitance.

"Oh, don't be such a worry-wart! We'll just open it up for a minute, take a quick look, and then close it back up and put it where it fell out from. There won't be any problem!"

"I dunno…"

"You're such a _chicken_, Dean," Mia giggled as she opened the box and rummaged through it, taking out the first piece of paper that her finger brushed upon. "Let's see…what's this we have here? Oh hey! It's a letter to mom from dad! Wow…it's dated more than sixteen years ago."

"Sixteen years ago? I'm surprised that it's not worn out or anything. It looks like it was written just last week!" Dean said incredulously, leaning in to get a closer look at the letter.

-o-

_22 December 2005_

_Dearest Mist,_

_Sinnoh is great, but as always, I'm missing you badly. It's such a shame that your sisters' world trip is a long one. There are so many wonderful water Pokémon here, and I'd have to take lots of photos to send to you sometime._

_Dawn's progressing quite nicely. She sure is quite unlike May, both in personality and her training methods. Her confidence in battling has grown much faster than May, and she's going to be competing in her first contest in two weeks in Floaroma Town. We're all excited for her. _

_We're taking a few days' break in Jubilife City for Christmas. It truly is a massive place compared to Celadon or Saffron back home, and there are countless shops around here. I'm sure I can find you something special that I can send over to you with my next mail. I'll definitely call and write to my mom and send her something good as well. Don't want her to think that I'm ignoring her this week while showering you with attention now, do I? ^^_

_By the way, last time I called home, mom said she's thinking about heading up to keep you company and take care of you over the Christmas period. She's probably already gotten into contact with you about it, but nonetheless, it really makes me glad that you're being looked after. I've got a good feeling that Sabrina and Haunter will help out as well._

_Have a Merry Christmas, Mist. And don't dig in too fast into the chocolate I've sent you. ;)_

_Love, as always._

_Ash_

-o-

"Ugh…dad is so immature," Dean rolled his eyes.

"Coming from _you_, Dean!" Mia laughed, then instantly pulled out the letter which was directly adjacent to the one she just read. "I feel like reading another one. Oh, I think this is mom's reply!"

-o-

_27 December 2005_

_Dear Prince Charming,_

_Thanks so much for your gifts and letter! We absolutely loved the chocolate you sent over. All the gyms are closed for about a week from Christmas Eve to New Years' Day, so Sabrina zapped in with Erika three days ago to keep us company. We're pretty much having a blast over here. And yes, that means that we almost burned down the kitchen after Haunter gave me the fright of my life while I was cooking. Good thing I live in a Water-type gym, eh? The bad thing is that Gyarados heard the commotion and pretty much flooded the entire place out of panic. Whee…cleaning's so much fun…Thanks, Gyarados…Haunter's fault, not mine! :P_

_Your mom's kinda driving me nuts at times, though. Being hyper about the thought of "grandchildren" and all. I constantly have to remind her that she's going to have to wait a while for that stuff, haha. She loved the flowers you sent her, though. Well, we all did – Erika most of all. We had to constantly remind ourselves that the flowers were meant for you mom, and not her! But the flowers you sent are so different from those that can be found in Kanto and Johto. It really makes me want to go traveling with you and see the world again when my sisters come back. :) _

_Hope you like the photo of us we took together on Christmas Day by the tree. I can't remember just how many times we had to retake the photo…Psyduck just wouldn't sit still! Heheheh…_

_I love you._

_Your Mist._

-o-

"Ergh! Mom's so much worse! Not to mention grandma!" Dean fell back with disgust, unable to handle the romance between his parents.

"Chances are, you're gonna be the same as dad in a couple of years with a girl," Mia grinned.

"Will not!" Dean angrily crossed his arms.

"Will too," Mia continued to tease.

"Will not!"

"Will too…"

"Will what?" a voice came from the door.

"Eek!" the two children spun around to see their mother, Misty Ketchum, looking on with a curious face at what they were doing. When she realized that they found her letter collection box, Misty's eyes shot up with embarrassment as she bounded over to retrieve her personal effects.

"How on earth did the two of you get your hands on this?!" Misty panicked in a low shriek, quickly shutting the box and putting it back in its old place.

"It's Dean's fault!"

"It's Mia's fault!" they blamed each other, pointing their fingers in unison.

"Whoever's fault it was, your father and I would appreciate it if you would..umm…y'know…not touch our personal things? They're quite sensitive to us," Misty said to them, keeping calm. She took a deep sigh of relief, running her fingers backwards across her scalp and sending back the long strands of her fiery red hair which hung across her face.

"Okay, mom. We're sorry," Mia said with sincerity.

"Don't worry about it. I love you both very much," Misty smiled, kissing her son and daughter on their foreheads. "Now go wash your hands in the bathroom and come down to the kitchen. We'll be having lunch soon."

"Okay," Dean beamed, then walked off with his sister out and across the corridor to the bathroom.

"I'll have to put this away somewhere higher from now on," the proud mother of two chuckled to herself, removing the box from the wardrobe and temporarily slipping it under the bed, deciding that she would find a different place to put it after they finished their meal. She walked out of her bedroom and headed down the stairs of the Cerulean Gym to the kitchen, where her husband Ash was busy setting up the table for lunch.

Sinking into deep thought as she descended the staircase, Misty felt a twinge of both happiness and sorrow. Happiness, because her two beloved children would, in only a matter of weeks, be old enough to begin their own Pokémon journey together and experience all the joy and adventure that she and her husband had enjoyed over twenty years ago. Sorrow, because it meant that her precious chicks would soon be leaving the nest for what would be many months before she could see them again once they finished their endeavors.

The past decade and a half was a very eventful period in Misty's life. After Ash had finally returned from his travels in the Sinnoh region, they once again spent several months living together before leaving for a new journey to the Unova region. Misty's sisters, having returned from their world trip four months previously, were more than willing to let Misty go with Ash, after promising their little sister that they would cut out their old ways of simply handing out badges out of laziness. Ash constantly laughed silently alongside their new friend Cilan, as Misty would often get into heated arguments with Iris, a girl of equal temper and tomboyishness as herself. They had the pleasure of seeing all of the wondrous sights that Unova had to offer, as well as having the opportunity to catch several Pokémon unique to the region: Misty caught herself a Panpour, which eventually evolved into a Simipour, unsettling and defeating many a trainer who came to challenge her for her badge after she returned to Cerulean following the end of their journey.

Ash and Misty remained in contact and on warm terms with all of the good friends they had travelled with. They shared occasional visits with May and Drew from Hoenn, both during their periodic stays at Cerulean before heading off on a new adventure and also after they married. Even Brock, the ever-hopeless romantic, soon struck a fortune of luck as Lucy, the Frontier Brain and Pike Queen, came to visit him in Pewter City all the way from her place near Fuchsia City after catching ear of his growing reputation as a Pokémon Doctor. Similarly, just as Ash had predicted, Dawn had fallen in love with Paul barely a few months after Ash's departure. Cilan and Iris, having developed a strong bond with each other during their travels, also fully grew into a couple not long after they separated with Ash and Misty, who returned to Kanto to move in together at the Cerulean Gym.

Most surprising of all, Jessie and James had quit as members of Team Rocket after an epiphany had befallen them on a day in Unova, when Ash, Misty, Cilan and Iris saved them following an avalanche and snowstorm on a mountain near Icirrus City. Frozen, shivering cold and on the brink of losing consciousness under the massive weight of snow which buried them, Jessie, James and Meowth couldn't believe it when they felt hands pulling them to safety from under the thick blanket of frost which threatened their lives from hypothermia. The four rescuers had even gone as far as to hide the evidence of the Team Rocket members' status within their crooked organization, replacing their clothes with ordinary ones before rushing them to the care of a hospital which nursed them back to health. Out of their eternal gratitude, Jessie, James and Meowth vowed to stop their persistent attempts to steal Pikachu, and returned to Kanto, where James finally convinced his parents to let him marry Jessie after it was revealed that Jessiebelle had given up on James in favor of marrying a rich oil tycoon in Johto. Ash and Misty would visit them once every few months at James' estate, where all of their children would enjoy playing across the multi-acre meadows.

Thinking back to the events of the past made Misty feel that what was fifteen years went by was really just fifteen days. Although she loved her present life as a mother and wife, part of her always yearned to return to the days she spent on the road with Ash and Brock.

"What was that shrieking upstairs about, honey?" Ash looked up at Misty while laying down some napkins and plates on the table.

Misty simply snickered.

"Huh? I don't get it, Mist. What's so funny?" Ash grinned.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that you look just the same as you did many years ago. Just like a kid," Misty teased.

"Eh? 'Just like a kid'?" Ash scratched his head.

Misty smiled and headed to the cooking range to check on the sizzling franks. "Well, your hairstyle never changed, for one. Nor your appetite."

"Some things are hard to change," Ash chuckled, then walked over to her once he finished setting up and kissed her on the cheek. "But really, what was that racket upstairs about?"

"Erm…the kids…uhh…" Misty stammered, going red in embarrassment.

"…?" Ash leaned in, wrapped his arm around her waist and gave her a curious look.

"They found our box of letters. You know – the ones we used to write to each other when we were young. They leapt with fright when I walked in on them in our bedroom."

"Oh…" Ash bit his lower lip, similarly starting to go red in the face.

"Good thing that they're soon gonna forget all about them, though. After all, their joint tenth birthday is coming up," Misty reminded him.

"Ahh…that's right," Ash said, a mixture of brightness and disappointment in his voice.

"You feel the same way, huh?" Misty said as she removed the franks from the frying pan and placed them on the plates, along with some pieces of bread.

"Yeah. I can't believe that time has gone so quickly. What I'd give to go back to those days. No disrespect to the kids, of course," Ash joked.

"Doesn't every tired parent feel the same?" Misty grinned and kissed her husband on the lips, before going somber. "It's not going to be the same without the kids around, though…"

Ash tried his best to lighten up his wife's attitude. "Come on, Mist, it can't be that bad, could it? After all, they're definitely going to come around in due time for your badge."

"Yeah, I know, but…it's just sad to know that this time has finally come. I can imagine your mom feeling the same way when you departed for your own journey. She coped with your absence just fine because she's a person who's very strong on the inside, but…I just don't know if it will be the same case with me…"

"I'm sure you'll be just fine, honey," Ash tenderly laid his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "Besides, look on the bright side: we can finally have a long trip of our own! How long has it been since we've been able to go travelling like we used to years ago?"

"I know. I'm just…"

"A worry-wart? True that," Ash laughed, receiving a smirk and a poke to the chin from Misty in response.

"You know what? I think you're right, Ash," Misty began to brighten up. "Maybe I _am _worrying too much. After all, we've taught them a lot about Pokémon over the past few years, haven't we? I'm sure they'll be able to take care of themselves and each other. Heh, they might even be able to meet their future husband or wife, like you and I did." She winked cheekily at him.

"Too much, too soon, Mist," Ash chuckled and shook his head. "But hey, why are the kids taking so long to come downstairs?"

"Knowing them, Dean's probably made a puddle while washing his hands, and Mia's being a bossy little girl like me and watching him clean it up. Who knows?" Misty remarked. "Come on, let's continue setting up for lunch. I know all too well that your stomach has its limits."

"So is that a 'yes' from you?"

"A 'yes' to what?" Misty asked, puzzled.

"Travelling again. Y'know – after the kids come by for their gym battle and you lose to them on purpose," Ash chortled.

"Who says I'm going to lose to them on purpose? I'm not like my sisters, y'know," Misty gave him a comical glare with a smile. "But yeah, definitely. I could use another adventure. Just promise me one thing, Ash."

"What's that, Mist?"

Misty walked over and gave him a warm hug as she looked up into his eyes. "No Bug Pokémon, okay?"

Ash laughed softly, drew Misty in close and kissed her on the forehead.

"I promise."

**The End**


End file.
